A Tipperary member of the Regional Health Board has questioned by HSE officials are so set against having step-down beds at Our Lady’s Hospital in Cashel.
The comments from Councillor Tom Wood come as figures show record numbers of patients have been treated on trolleys at South Tipp General in Clonmel this year.
3,000 people were left on trolleys in the first 7 months of 2017 at South Tipp General in Clonmel.
Tom Wood says this doesn’t auger well for the coming winter months for both patients and staff.
He says it simply doesn’t make sense that Our Lady’s doesn’t have a single bed in place while just a few kilometres down the road South Tipp General is at breaking point.
Minister Harris has visited Our Lady’s in Cashel where he saw first hand the conditions there after a major refurbishment costing in excess of €13 million.
The idea of using it as a step down facility has been put forward by numerous local politicians – however Councillor Wood was told at a HSE forum earlier this year that there will never be a bed or a patient at Our Lady’s.
He says the Minister needs to seek an unbiased view on the matter.
